Glocknerblick via Jetzbachsteig Hike

The tour starts at the bottom of the mountain at the Jetzbach bridge. Cross the bridge and follow the road up towards the mountain farm called “Schneckenreith“. This place is also a great opportunity to enjoy local products; homemade cheese, butter, meat, fresh milk, and delicious cakes.  This is a tasty insiders tip to start your day of hiking! 😉

Follow the signing for “Jetzbachsteig” which is trail Number 29. The trail follows the gravel track at the start and goes steep up straight away. The trail curls up the mountain in steep serpentine turns, giving an ever-increasing view on the beautiful surroundings. Try to peek down to the end of the valley to spot the walls of the big reservoirs of Kaprun. They are used for electricity production and produce about 14% of all electricity in Austria.

After crossing the gravel track several times, the trail then continues into the forest, although after a while vegetation decreases. The higher you get the more rocks will be present on the trail. Be aware that when it has been raining, it can be quite slippery. The trail continues going up in a westward direction.

With the last quarter of the hike to go, you will hit the gravel track once more. Cross it, and continue on the trail. Another four serpentine turns will bring you up to mountain hut Glocknerblick. The name means “view on the Groβglockner”. Groβglockner is the highest mountain in Austria at 12461ft. On clear days, there is a brilliant view of the Groβglockner itself, and the Glockner mountain group surrounding it.

By now, you are probably hungry, and this is the perfect place for a rest before returning to Kaprun. Ask for a plate with a variety of homemade “Knödel”. These dumplings are spiced with mountain cheese, spinach, fresh herbs, and bacon and will give you the energy needed after such a steep climb.

To return, simply follow the same trail down to the starting point of the hike. However, if you are tired of hiking, there is the option to descend using the trail opposite the mountain hut towards the “Maiskogel alm” (also called “Heli’s Hut”) and take the hiking taxi down. It will bring you back to the bottom of the Maiskogel mountain at the edge of the center of Kaprun. The hike from the Glocknerblick hut to the Maiskogel alm will take about 15 minutes.